Wednesday night's City Council decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the city’s ban on camping in public places.
Although the Supreme Court ruled in Grants Pass’s favor in June, the city still has to follow a 2021 Oregon state law which says cities have to be “objectively reasonable” as they regulate where people can camp.
So, since the Supreme Court’s ruling, Grants Pass has been working to designate certain locations in the city where homeless people can camp.
The four city-owned sites will have chainlink fencing, accessible bathrooms, handwashing stations and trash service. Two of them will also have security cameras.
The four locations are:
- 1.284 acres at the future Water Treatment Plant site at 755 SE J St.
- 36 acres in the southwest corner of Riverside Park
- .7 acres at 850 E. Park St.
- almost half an acre near City Hall, at 704 NW 6th St.
The city also plans to eventually use a site next to the police station as a campground once a structure there has been demolished. That lot is at 712 NE 7th St. and is about a quarter of an acre.
During the meeting, Councilor Dwayne Yunker pushed back on residents who said the city council doesn’t understand the severity of the problem.
"We don’t need to be told that you don’t want them in your area. We’re trying to fix this as best we can. I don’t want them either. But they’re human beings. We gotta do something! " he said.
These will be the only places in the city where homeless people will be allowed to camp, and people will only be allowed to stay there temporarily. People staying at the Water Treatment Plant site will be able to stay for 96 hours before they must relocate to another of the sites. People staying at the other three sites will be able to stay for 24 hours before they must relocate to another of the sites.
Under Oregon state law, people must be given at least 72 hours notice to move their belongings before they will be removed.
The program will cost the city over $250,000 a year. According to meeting materials, that funding can be allocated from ARPA money, the General Fund and council-identified lands and buildings projects.
However, the timeline for when these new rules will be enforced is uncertain. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, Grants Pass is still under a federal District Court injunction as part of the ongoing legal case. This new resolution won't be enforced until that injunction is lifted. The city manager said Wednesday night he doesn't know exactly when that will be.
Some residents were worried about how these four sites might strain law enforcement staffing and the number of bathrooms that would be needed at the sites, among other issues.
Councilor Brian DeLaGrange tried to reassure them.
"There’s no perfect plan. We’re just doing the best we can. No matter what we do, no matter where we site these things, there’s going to be people that are upset," he said. "This is a starting point. We plan to adjust."
The council plans to discuss car camping and access to potable water at the sites at a future meeting.
On Wednesday night, the city council also amended municipal code to clarify regulations regarding camping, criminal trespass and other related issues.
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